This invention relates to a method for blending orthoester functionalized polyphenylene ethers (PPE-g-OE) with nucleophilic polymers. The functionalized polyphenylene ethers contain grafted ethylenically unsaturated orthoester groups.
Orthoester bearing chlorotriazines have been used as capping agents for solution capping of polyphenylene ethers. The orthoester end-capped polyphenylene ethers are known to be effective compatibilizers of polyphenylene ether (PPE)/polyester blends. The method of the present invention allows the use of novel polyphenylene ethers bearing grafted orthoester groups in blends with nucleophilic polymers. Further, the method of this invention eliminates the need for solution chemistry thereby reducing the intermediate steps resulting in a more efficient process and eliminating the risk of environmentally unsound solvent usage.
The synthesis of various graftable and copolymerizable monomers bearing orthoester functionality and their use in the synthesis of the orthoester-functionalized polyolefins by melt grafting have been previously described. Reference is made, for example, to Ser. No. 07/645,179 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,866 and Ser. No. 7/716,157 now 5,153,290. The current invention produces novel blends of functionalized polyphenylene ethers with polyesters, polyamides or functionalized polyolefins and preferably these novel functionalized polyphenylene ether blends are produced in an in situ, all melt process.